Targeting brain circuits for addiction, relapse
New medical research suggests that a new frontier in substance abuse may be within our grasp. Researches say, a “better understanding of how addiction overlaps with other brain diseases is sparking a hunt to see if a treatment for one might also help another.” (L. Neergaard, AP Medical, 5/25).
It's "a different way of looking at mental illnesses, including substance abuse disorders," says National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow, who on Monday urged researchers at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting to get more creative in the quest for brain-changing therapies for addiction.
The idea behind the treatment is controlling one’s brain to overcome substance abuse. Although the treatment is in early stages of research, as a medical malpractice attorney, I am intrigued by this promising study.